Battle of al-Haffah
| Battle of Al-Haffah | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Syrian Uprising | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| at least 23 killed[2] | 68 killed,[2] 200 wounded[3] | ||||||
| at the most 29 civilians killed*[2] | |||||||
| |||||||
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The Battle of Al-Haffah was a battle between the Syrian Army and the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Latakia Governorate, primarily in the area around the town of Al-Haffah.
Background
Haffah is a Sunni Muslim town that lies in the foothills of the coastal mountains that form the heartland of Assad's Alawi sect. It is strategically located close to the port city of Latakia, as well as, the Turkish border which has been used by the rebels to smuggle people and supplies.[5]
Event
The clashes started on 5 June 2012, in Al-Haffah, when a large concentration of FSA rebels attacked and captured the town's police stations. Soon after, the government military forces surrounded the city and began an attack. The opposition claimed at least five government tanks and armoured personnel carriers were destroyed in the fighting.[6] Clashes also broke out in the nearby villages of Bakas, Shirqaq, Babna, Al-Jankil, and Al-Dafil.[7]
Shelling
The fighting continued into the next day with government forces shelling the village of Shirqaq and continuing to assault Al-Haffah, where tanks and helicopters joined the fighting. The helicopters strafed suspected rebel positions. On the first day of the battle 33 people were killed: 22 soldiers, nine rebels and two civilians.[8] On the second day seven people were killed due to the shelling, including one rebel fighter.[9]
By 7 June, rebels retreated from Al-Haffah to the al-Gheba area under heavy helicopter fire, but not before they freed several prisoners, abducted a number of police officers and bulldozed the local police station and secret police offices.[10]
On 10 June, Army troop reinforcements were sent and the military continued to bombarded the town and surrounding villages for a sixth straight day. The rebels retreated to the surrounding mountainous area around Al-Haffah, which is a Sunni Muslim enclave, and entrenched themselves.[4][3]
Recapture
On 12 June, the military recaptured the town.[11] The remaining 200 FSA fighters withdrew from al-Haffah under heavy bombardment by government forces.[12] The rebels retreated to Turkey. The FSA called the pullout to be tactical, to avoid the killings of even more civilians. The rebels also claimed that heavy shelling against the town was causing big damages in the area's infrastructure and shortages in water and electricity supplies. In addition, the FSA statement said the withdrawal from the town and its suburbs was to avoid another "massacre" and orders were reportedly given to FSA fighters to evacuate bodies of those killed and the injured civilians, who include women and children.[13]
References
- ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/12/us-syria-crisis-haffeh-idUSBRE85B0DT20120612
- ^ a b c Syria shelling, clashes kill 36
- ^ a b Syrian troops renew shelling of Homs; 38 killed
- ^ a b Syria violence kills 12 as revolt toll tops 14,100
- ^ Syrian rebels smuggle civilians from battered Haffeh
- ^ Heavy fighting erupts in Syria's Latakia province
- ^ At least 47 killed in violence across Syria: NGO
- ^ Clashes rock Damascus, regime pounds Latakia: NGO
- ^ Syrian Troops Kill 7 in Coastal Area
- ^ In northern Syria, rebels now control many towns and villages
- ^ Syrian government forces 'retake mountain town of Haffa'
- ^ Syrian rebels withdraw from besieged Hafffeh: spokesman
- ^ Syrian rebels say Haffa pullout tactical; NATO says intervention ‘not right path’
